Supplies:

Rocks (3-5") painted white with gesso / or buy white rocks

Sharpies

Paper

Pencil

Puffy paint (optional)

Halloween may be on Oct. 31, but there’s a historical reason to celebrate Called Day of the Dead: “El Dia de los Muertos.”

Dia de los Muertos, or “Day of the Dead,” is a holiday lasting two days, originating in Mexico. A holiday to celebrate loved ones that have passed. It's a The largest celebration in Mexico, but Dia de los Muertos extends well beyond to Guatemala, Brazil, Spain and here in America too! We celebrate this holiday in our own family as a way to talk while creating about our loved ones that we miss, how much they meant to us, and what we learned from them that we carry with us.

The popular caricature associated with Dia de los Muertos that we see a lot today, is based off of La Calavera Catrina, a painting by artist Jose Guadalupe Posada created between 1910 and 1913.

We begin this lesson in our classes by discussing its historical significance. Followed by exploring our facial features. Talk about eye sockets and have the students feel the sockets of their eyes. Continue with the cavity of the nose and why the skeleton (drawn) looks different than the nose we look at each day. Have them feel the cartilage of their nose that covers the cavity. Talk about our cheek bones too and how that shapes the face.

Sketch together the shapes of each. Circles for eyes indicating the eye sockets. The nose, fun enough, is the shape of an upside down heart. The mouth is an oval that is divided in half, with lines to create teeth.

When the sketch is complete it is time to hand out the rocks. Have them use pencil first and duplicate their sketch. After, trace with black sharpie. Have them fill in with other colored sharpie where they would like to add color. Lastly, if you feel that your class is able to handle another step, use the puffy paints to accentuate shape and color. Another option that was used in this photo, is using acrylic paint and the bottom side of paint brushes and pencil erasers. They create the best dots and circles!

The various steps in paper making are fun and attainable for ages as young as 4. Great if you have an outdoor area, but if not, we have covered areas inside as well with waterproof material (follow ink below). The project incorporates recycling, design, and easily attainable supplies.

Supplies:

Blender
newspaper clippings, flowers, old maps
food coloring, liquid water paints (or acrylic paint) to color pulp
Lint from dryer (yup it is cheap and the easiest binder for a cotton paper pulp)
a tray (at least 8"x10") to hold paper pulp and water mixture
embroidery hoop for each student (picture above I used dollar frames and screen material stapled to the outside. I find the embroidery hoops more convenient. Round paper is fun too! However, if you want to create a sketch book cover or other books, the frames are your way to go.
cookie cutters
nylon, tightly woven fabric (I go to goodwill, or have bought large panels at IKEA)
starch or gelatin (used as sizing to control water absorption and create a strong paper)

first step is to create the paper pulp by adding the lint and a small amount of water. This water is just to create a smooth texture while blending the lint mixture. After blending a bit you may add torn up newspaper, colored papers, flowers etc. Mix again until the new added papers are small bits. The kids LOVE being in charge of the blender (with adult supervision of course). This blended mixture is then added to your tray that has been filled 1/2 way with water. This is the time you will add approximately 2 tbs. of your starch or gelatin. If you are using larger trays, add just a bit more of the starch or gelatin. It is not critical how much you add. Too little will not bind the paper as well, but even that is ok. Mix it all up!
If you would like to add color you may use food coloring, liquid water colors, or even acrylic paint. They all will create different strengths of color and opacity. Play and explore which you like best.
prepare your embroidery hoops with the nylon fabric. Pull taught.
dip embroidery hoops into the fun pulp mixture.
your kids (students) will want to practice putting the frame all the way into the mixture, then pulling up straight. Talk about the resistance of the water and how they have to use there muscles while also using their eyes to keep it level.
you can repeat the dipping procedure as many times as you like. Do make sure it is not too thin, as it won't release so well from the nylon (or screen). With each dip, make sure to stir up the water, as you want the pulp to be floating in the tray.
Set aside on piles of newspaper, or on a Paper/Poly Drop Cloth.
drying time depends on weather, but usually you can remove the handmade paper from nylon after 24 hours.

Note: if you are using the cookie cutters:

instead of dipping your entire hoop or screen into the mixture, you will be using dixie type cups to pour the pulp over. Contrasting colors are fun. Pour first the outside area, Then pour a new color into the shape.

For added activity for older children:

Cut out meaningful words to incorporate into their handmade paper. Messages, poems, or single words are a great literary addition.

HAVE FUN!